CHAPTER
23
AT THE HIDE-OUT
Before the man could pull open the closet door, a booming voice called impatiently from shore:
“Say, are you coming? We have plenty of work ahead of us tonight.”
Distracted from his purpose, the searcher turned aside without glancing into the closet. With his companion and the girl, he left the cabin.
Penny and Jerry waited at least five minutes. When all was silent above, they stole from their hiding place. From the window they assured themselves that the wharf was deserted.
“What do we do now, start after the police?” Penny questioned.
“Let’s make certain Atherwald is here first. We can’t afford to be wrong.”
A path led through the timber. As they followed it, Jerry and Penny saw a moving lantern some distance ahead. They kept it in sight until the three men and Flora disappeared into a cabin.
Stealing on through the darkness, Penny and Jerry crept to the screen door. Peering in, they saw a barren room containing a table, a cook stove and double-deck bunks.
“Get supper on, Flora,” one of the men ordered curtly.